Can vaccines cause autism in children?

Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning it manifests differently in each individual, limiting the scope of understanding this condition. The wide range of behaviors, abilities, and challenges associated with autism are often confusing, making it difficult for people to recognize that autism affects individuals in unique ways. There is a significant amount of misinformation and myths surrounding autism due to several factors, including limited awareness, outdated beliefs, and the complexity of the condition.
Historically, autism has been poorly understood, leading to incorrect assumptions about its causes and treatment. For example, early theories incorrectly attributed autism to poor parenting or emotional trauma, contributing to stigma and erroneous blame. Despite advances in research, these outdated ideas sometimes persist.
A common myth surrounding autism has discouraged many parents from vaccinating their babies. The myth forces parents to believe that autism is caused by vaccination.

The myth comes from a group of researchers

In 1998, a group of British researchers declared that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine caused autism. The General Medical Council of England rejected the document, but by then it had already sparked concern and debate around the world. Ultimately, the journal that published the study retracted it, and several studies that followed after the study results were published found no scientific reason to support that vaccines caused autism.
The researcher in question was Dr. Andrew Wakefield. A research article explains: Initially, Wakefield reported that the measles virus was responsible for the colonic lesions seen in Crohn’s disease. Although this theory was quickly disproven and put to rest, Wakefield was impressed by cases brought to his attention in which apparently normally developing children demonstrated autistic symptoms shortly after administration of the MMR triad vaccine. Despite his previous error with Crohn’s disease, he hypothesized that the measles virus had triggered inflammatory lesions in the colon, disrupting the permeability of the colon by which neurotoxic proteins reach the bloodstream and the brain, causing thus autism.

Why vaccination is important for children and why parents should not neglect it?

Vaccination is crucial for children because it protects them from other serious illnesses, such as measles, polio and whooping cough. It boosts the immunity of children, making them able to fend off infection. Therefore, vaccination not only protects the health of children but also that of society as a whole; this prevents these diseases from affecting vulnerable people or those without an adequate defense mechanism, such as babies and the elderly. In addition to gaps in vaccination, this increases the risks of epidemics among children and exposes them to preventable diseases. Getting vaccinated is safe and effective in ensuring long-term health of the body and preventing unnecessary suffering.